New headmaster wants to build on Trinity Collegiate School’s strong foundation

Trinity Collegiate School’s new headmaster, Emeriel C. “Em” Hubbard Jr., said he is using his business and education experience — which spans 30 years — to build on the school’s “strong foundation.”

“I like to think of myself as a person who likes to build, so the idea of coming into a young or new school and continuing to build up on a strong foundation that has already been established was very appealing to me,” he said.

Building on that foundation means continuing to focus on the school’s mission, goals and high-caliber curriculum, Hubbard said.

Hubbard succeeds Dr. Robert Veto, who accepted the headmaster position at Stratford Academy in Macon, Ga. Veto had served as the headmaster of Trinity since 1997.

Hubbard said a strong business background is needed to make the educational part of the school function and run smoothly.

“Having that knowledge of the business operations of the school has equipped me very well to be the head of a school because I understand how the business of a school should work and how to run the school efficiently and effectively,” he said. “There has to be a sound business to make the educational part of the school function well because, if the business part of the school doesn’t work, then the educational part won’t work for long.”

Hubbard spent four years as a business manager at St. Andrew’s School in Savannah, Ga., before he became its headmaster in 1999.

In addition to strengthening the business side of Trinity Collegiate School, Hubbard said he’s going to develop a long-range plan for every aspect of the school.

The long-range plan ties into the school’s goal of pursuing a dual accreditation through the Southern Association of Independent Schools, which joined with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to create the dual accreditation process.

A Jasper County native, Hubbard served in several positions during his educational career, including as a teacher, coach and administrator. He also served as headmaster of Beaufort Academy in Beaufort for six years and was a teacher at Alcorn Middle School in Richland School District 1 for three years.

Hubbard received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in school administration from the University of South Carolina.

He and his wife, Brenda, have three children: Carrie, a freshman at The College of Charleston; Oliver, 14; and Carter, 8.